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Anthony Herzen
So, if I understand correctly, you're saying people fear the box because they believe it kills anyone who opens it? That's quite a story, isn't it. '' Anton Herzen is a main character and antagonist in Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box. Anton is the current duke of Folsense. He is the eldest son of the late Duke Herzen and the brother of Mr. Beluga. Although he appears young in the story, it's just an illusion caused by the hallucinogenic gas that slept deep in the Folsense mine. He believed this illusion, thinking of himself as wealthy and young as he had been 50 years ago. This stayed as his setting for 50 long years, not knowing how weak he was becoming before Katia , his granddaughter, explained it all. Profile 'Appearance' Anton Herzen, the current duke of Folsense, is rumoured to be a vampire but only because his butler, Nigel, was told to make everyone think that. He keeps this rumour fresh by capturing anyone who ventures near the castle. However, he makes it easy for them to escape so that they run back to the town, scared silly by the evil vampire living in Herzen Castle. In the game, he appears young and healthy, but is really around fifty years older than he looks. As a young Anton, he has shoulder-length blonde hair, and bright blue-green eyes. He's rather pale from spending years inside the castle, and he wears a long purple coat, strongly reminiscent of the vampire character he tries to be. Plot ''Anton's Story Fifty years prior to the main plot, Anton met the love of his life, a young woman named Sophia. They first met at one of Duke Herzen's frequent parties, and soon they were engaged. Sophia was the youngest daughter of another wealthy family living in Folsense, a worthy fit for the son of a Duke. Not long afterward however, a horrible disease struck the town. Anton wrote in his diary that he could have coped with the disaster so long as Sophia was there by his side. But, unknown to Anton at the time, Sophia was pregnant, and ran away from Folsense to protect their child from the fatal disease. Soon after her departure, Duke Herzen died from the disease, handing his title to Anton. Anton, being the current duke, remained in the castle for years, living alone (except for his butler, Nigel, since his brother left.), severely depressed and angered, thinking that Sophia had left him for another man. When news came that thieves were stealing his family gold from the mines, Anton decided to play the part of a vampire. Anyone who came too close to the mines or his castle were caught and locked in the cellars, then let loose after they had been scared like crazy. Of course, he made sure that the captured always had means of escape, so they could go back to town to tell tales of the evil monster in the castle, so that the Herzen fortune remained safe. Virtually all of the nobles and old families who knew Anton beforehand had evacuated or died, so there was no one left to disprove the rumours. Before Sophia left, he had the Elysian Box made for them, appearing to be a simple jewelry box. It had a secret compartment in the base that only he and Sophia could open, the lock inspired by an old saying. When Sophia left, Anton decided to put a message for her in the compartment, and asked a passing traveler to take it to her (this may have been Pavel). But unfortunately, because of the value of the box, it was stolen multiple times, and Anton gave up hope of it ever reaching her. After the destruction of Herzen Castle, the professor gives the box back to Anton. Luke asks of it's importance if it was just an empty box, and Anton explains about the compartment with his message inside. After giving Luke a cryptic hint of "The sun rises, when you and I meet, and when the wind blows, you will know my heart.", he unlocks the box. They find a folded paper, which, to Anton's surprize, happens to be a reply from Sophia, written a very short time before her death the year before. In the letter, she explains that she missed him dearly; that she left him because she was pregnant; that it gave him the chance to meet their granddaughter Katia, and that she will be waiting for him in the afterlife. [[Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box|Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box]] ''"Are you listening, Sophia? I'll have to put off returning to your side for a while. There's someone I need to get to know here first. Will you forgive me for making you wait just a little longer, my dear?" '- Old Anton granting Sophia's wish' When Professor Layton and Luke come to Herzen Castle to find out more about the town's secrets, Anton and his butler greet them and Anton allows them to stay the night. As Layton and Luke sleep, Anton does as he normally does with anyone who comes too close; he ties them up (poorly) and locks them away in one of the machine rooms in the castle cellars. When he sees that they have escaped, he doesn't act too suprised, until he notices Katia. He mistakes her for his dear Sophia, believing that Layton is the reason that she left him. Anton orders Layton to pick any sword he fancies off the display, but that only one of them is real. He hints to Layton about the real sword, that "A true warrior always keeps his blade in hand." Layton, realising the clue, draws a sword from a suit of armour's hand and faces Anton in a duel. In the climax of their fight, Anton quickly loses his breath and becomes too tired to fight, despite looking so strong and healthy. Katia begs her grandfather to stop, shocking Anton, who believes himself too young to be anyone's grandfather. She tells him the depressing truth about Folsense, and that Sophia had left him because she was pregnant with Katia's mother; Anton's daughter, who died soon after Katia was born. She then tells him that Sophia had passed away a year ago, causing Anton to fly into a rage of disbelief, slicing through a chain holding a massive chandlier in the ceiling of the room. The chandlier crashes into the floor. The castle begins to collapse, and the hole leading to the mines is then blocked by the castle's falling debris. The illusion of Folsense is lifted, and Anton's true form is revealed: he is an elderly man with wrinkles and long white hair. He realizes the mistake he made in his anger, not believing his own granddaughter. Luke shows him the Elysian Box/Pandora's Box, and Anton says that he put a hidden message for Sophia in a secret compartment in it, the way to unlock it being from an old saying. When Luke solves the puzzle and opens the box, Anton is shocked to find that his message had been replaced by a reply from his beloved Sophia, written a short time before her passing. In the letter, she expresses how he had never left her thoughts, why she had left, and that her time in the world was drawing to a close. She wishes for Anton to spend his remaining years with Katia, and that she will be waiting for him on 'the other side'. Greatly moved, Anton looks toward the heavens, and asks for Sophia's forgiveness. He says he has to keep her waiting a little while longer so he can get to know a certain somebody. He looks away with tears in his eyes. After fifty years of sorrow, Anton finally has a reason to delight in life again. Quotes "Good evening. Welcome to my house." "It's true that it was a Herzen Family heirloom, although I parted with it a number of years ago. The garish emblem you mentioned wasn't exactly -ah- suited to my taste." "Fear not, my dear. They're just the main course for this evening. And, my, don't they look fresh." "Don't be ridiculous. Look at me! I'm too young to be anyone's grandfather." "Enough of this madness. Folsense is real...I'm real..." "Am I not dear to you, Sophia? Stay with me, and we'll rebuild Fosense together." "I trusted Sophia, and she left me for another!" "What's this? Heh, heh. Is this how it is? I didn't see this coming Layton. Not. At. All." "Ha Ha Ha! There's no lack of swords here. Take whichever one you like. Know this though. Only one of them is real. A true warrior always keeps his blade in hand." "I didn't think you had it in you, Mr. Layton!" "LAAAAYTON!!! Sophia belongs to me! You can't have her! YAAAA!" "Oh, how I've waited! It's been so unberably long... Come closer! My dear sweet Sophia, I've missed you so!" "Something strange is happening... I just need to catch my breath." "Sophia is dead? No, it can't be! I've had enough of your lies!!!" Old Anton "Oh, I assure you, it's far from ordinary. This box was crafted to hold the words of my heart." "The box contains a hidden message, one meant only for Sophia." "And so it was stolen again and again, thus perpetuating the whole chain of sad events." "The sun rises when you and I meet, and when the wind blows, you will know my heart." "These old words are the key to understanding this box and what it means. Do you follow, boy?" "This isn't the letter I wrote! This is Sophia's handwriting! The box must have made it to her after all!" "Oh, Sophia... I finally understand now." "It's been so long. So long in fact that I'd forgotten what love even felt like. Instead, my love for Sophia was replaced by anger and that anger completely blinded me." "But now I can see the world clearly now. Thanks to you, my granddaughter." "Are you listening, Sophia? I'll have to put off returning to your side for a while. There's someone I need to get to know here first." "Will you forgive me for making you wait just a little longer, my dear?" Puzzles Anton does not directly give Layton and Luke any puzzles before the ending sequence. Although entering Herzen Castle requires them to solve at least three puzzles. During the ending sequence, Anton gives Layton and Luke the puzzles "One True Sword" and the last puzzle "The Elysian Box". Anton also gives the Professor the puzzle "The Diabolical Box Reopened" (The Hidden Door of Unwound Future) that can be seen in the Unwound future game. Images Image:PL2Profile07.png|Profile in the Diabolical Box Pic.png Welcome to my house.jpeg|His first appearance. Pic 2.png Pic 3.png DB Credits 1.png DB Credits 2.png DB Credits 3.png DB Credits 4.png DB Credits 11.gif DB Credits 13.gif DB Credits 18.png Trivia * The character of Anton could possibly have been influenced by the Phantom of the Opera, both having many rumours and mysteries surrounding them, and both slicing through the chains holding a chandelier, leading to devastation. *Professor Layton, Anton Herzen, Jean Descole and Lando Ascad are so far the only characters who can swordfight/fencing. * In the secret room of Unwound Future, Anton refers to himself as "Anthony". This is assumed to be his actual name, as at the 'Puzzle Solved' screen, he says "Don't tell anyone my real name, though...". de:Anthony Herzen es:Anthony Herzen Category:Characters Category:Antagonists